Sanctuary for Magical Creatures
by Skylar0Grace
Summary: After the war, Hermione has the unique opportunity to finish the work she began years before and thus begins the Sanctuary for Magical Creatures - a home for magical creatures that need protection from the wizarding and muggle worlds alike. Where would you go if YOU were looking for sanctuary?
1. Here Comes Trouble

_'Hit the ground running'. Not sure who said it but it's a fantastic analogy for life after something as traumatic and all-encompassing as war has happened. You're so switched on, been that way for so long, that it feels like the default setting. The problem is, before long you realise you don't know where you are. You've been 'running' for so long that night has fallen and you don't recognise a thing. What happens when you finally run out of energy and the only thing around you is the dark? What happens when you realise that the place you've stopped, just happens to be the edge of the abyss?_

* * *

Hermione was the only one of the 'Golden Trio' to return to Hogwarts the year after the war ended. Neither Harry nor Ron had wanted to return and it made sense for the 'faces of triumph' to be seen in public, getting on with their lives whilst trying to help rebuild the wizarding community. News of Harry and Ron becoming Aurors and helping track down and capture the remaining Azkaban escapees was common. Reporters tried to follow them everywhere and private lives were almost non-existent. Ginny held up better than she did, she supposed. Maybe it was because Ginny loved Harry more, or because she would be Ron's sister regardless of her relationship status with Harry. Either way, by the end of the year, Hermione and Ron had ended amicably and the reports became about which witch would be lucky enough to land Ron Weasley.

She wished him well.

Despite being a prominent fixture at Harry's side during the war, and part of the reason for Voldemort's eventual defeat, the public weren't as interested in a witch that returned to finish out her schooling rather than accept the honorary grades offered. And Hermione was grateful. Especially when a small 'pop' sounded next to her in the library one afternoon, startling her into spilling ink onto her parchment.

_Hermione looked up to see the small house-elf wince at the problem he had inadvertently caused._

_"So sorry, Miss Granger, so sorry."_

_"It's okay," she offered, as she cleaned the ink away, "you're not from the castle, are you?"_

_The house-elf shook his head and bowed before her. "My name is Jinks, Miss Granger. Dobby was Jinks' friend. An honourable friend. It is because of Dobby that Jinks is here."_

_She frowned and leant forward, speaking softly. "You do know that Dobby died?"_

_Jinks nodded solemnly. "Yes, Miss Granger. But Dobby left behind a problem that can only be solved by Miss Granger." He looked around to make sure they weren't being overheard. "Dobby told us that the Great Miss Granger had told him a secret. That house-elves could be free! And many of us followed Dobby, helping him when we was free. But when Dobby died, house-elves no longer had anywhere to go. Some house-elves is afraid to be freed for fear they has nowhere to go. Jinks has helped as many as he can but room is running out."_

_"Room? Room where?"_

_"An old shack," he exclaimed, pointing off the castle grounds, "It had no master and Dobby claimed it."_

_"How many of you are there?"_

_"Forty-three, Miss. But we has news that more is coming soon, so I came for Miss Granger. To help."_

_Hermione tried to wipe the surprised look from her face as she nodded. She had never imagined that Dobby would continue working on her cause long after she had abandoned it in favour of defeating Voldemort. The thought brought tears to her eyes and Jinks looked askance, horrified. She smiled in reassurance before packing her things away and asking if she could visit their home._

* * *

_It was three weeks later when she finally had her plan. Though Jinks had surprised her, it was the shack which truly shocked her. 'Shack' was a loose term, and she imagined that Dobby had used the shack as an immediate solution to his problem of space. 'House-elf' was not a term she liked using; it was synonymous with servitude and they were no longer slaves but she didn't know what other term to use. However, forty-three house-elves squeezed into the small place was a bigger issue. It was horribly cramped, despite being immaculately clean, and though they tried their best to keep occupied, she could tell that boredom was becoming a problem._

_Hermione had received a tidy sum from the Ministry for her 'services during the war' and although she'd initially put it aside, with intentions of donating it where it was most needed, a plan had formed in her mind and she realised that the person who could use it most, was her._

_She quietly purchased one of the old, abandoned pure-blooded mansions. Its owners had disappeared during the war and a bad taste surrounded most of the abandoned properties enabling the price to be within her range. She spent a few days getting the layout of the land, so to speak, before she asked Jinks to meet her. He had been wary of the old place but he trusted Hermione and followed her lead._

_"I have a proposition for you, Jinks. Well, I suppose it is for all of you. I've been thinking about what I want to do after the year is out and I have to admit, I was stuck. The Ministry, well, the Ministry has offered my pick of jobs, really. I suppose it is good PR to have Harry, Ron and I working at the Ministry together. But after I met you, I realised that I had never finished what I'd started. For that I am sorry."_

_Jinks looked confused but Hermione stretched her arms out in the foyer._

_"I want a home. I want you to have a home. But more than anything, I want there to be a place for anyone to come if they need sanctuary. Most people couldn't really care less who my parents were. Or where I'd grown up. Or how much money I had. But some did. And I hated feeling like an outsider with nowhere to go. I suppose that's a reason I tried so hard to make sure house-elves understood their rights and values. I'd like to offer that to others as well. With your help."_

_Jinks looked around the room before squinting at her. "Jinks doesn't understand, Miss."_

_She knelt down in front of him. "I can't do this on my own. And I can't think of anyone better to help give freedom to others, than those who've obtained it themselves. This place can only hold so many, but I think that with a little magic, we can make a home for anyone who needs it. What do you say?"_

_Jinks smiled at her._

_Within the hour, the remaining house-elves had joined him and they began work turning the mansion into a home._

* * *

Thus began the biggest project of her life. Her remaining year at Hogwarts was split between homework, research and the mansion. Every law, new and old, was checked and double checked. Every renovation she made, every contact she procured, was within the scope of the law. Although there had been rumours that Hermione had bought the mansion, it was neither confirmed nor denied so work on the mansion was kept quiet. Not even Harry and Ron knew about her work and she liked it that way. There was already a department within the Ministry that would be doing similar work and she knew it would ruffle feathers when they found out.

But having a place to go that was _outside_ the Ministry was what she was aiming for. Where not only would there be freedom from Ministry control but protection for those who needed it. Hermione didn't want to step on toes but she knew she needed to do this. So, it was with great trepidation that she approached both Neville and Luna just before the end of the year.

_"I just want to say one thing first, and that is that I admire and respect both of you. No matter what happens today, I want you to know that it won't change anything between us. I know that you both have several options for employment but I'd like to give you one more option, one I hope you will consider seriously."_

_She wordlessly led them a short distance from Hogsmead before sending all three of them to her new home. Luna continued to stare around with large eyes whilst Neville eyed her with confusion. Hermione sucked in a deep breath._

_"This mansion used to be owned by the Borgin family. As you know, Caractacus Borgin founded Borgin and Burkes with his friend, Caractacus Burke. Both had a desire to accumulate 'unusual' objects and decided to use their combined talents to open their store in 1863. In 1896, however, Borgin unintentionally met with a muggle-born, Mary Waters, and fell in love with her. Despite her blood-status, they had a son together but when Burke found out, he felt betrayed and led a mob that eventually killed his friend and drove Mary and her son from the country. It wouldn't be until 1940, when a Walter Borgin returned to claim his inheritance, that anyone would hear the name again but in an effort to denounce his father and his muggle heritage, he abandoned the mansion. It has sat alone for a century gathering dust. Until I bought it."_

_Hermione led Neville and Luna down a long staircase and into what appeared to be the dungeon. The large room had a number of non-descript doors and Hermione offered one final glance before opening the one nearest her. Neville gasped and she saw Luna step forward with a smile. What should have been a small room, no bigger than a cell, was an enormous field of bell-shaped, yellow flowers surrounded by large trees._

_"Flavis venenum."_

_Hermione smiled at Neville. "There were some surrounding a small shack that Dobby claimed. I remembered that they were rare-"_

_"Extremely."_

_"And I moved them over here so they could flourish. And they have..."_

_Luna tentatively stepped into the field and looked up into the sky._

_"Do you know how to control them? They can be dangerous in large numbers like this..."_

_Hermione nudged him. "That's why I need you. There are a few things I could use your help with. I know that I could research all of this and trial solutions but I don't really have the 'touch'. I accidentally killed that cactus you gave me two years ago..."_

_Neville nodded and bent down to inspect the plantation, rubbing it between his fingers to make sure it was real. Hermione strode forward and clasped Luna's elbow, steering her out of the room and across the dungeon. Instead of opening another door, she tapped her wand on it and a viewing panel materialised. Through the window, a dead horse became visible and Luna recoiled in horror. Hermione nodded back toward the window and she knew the moment Luna spotted them. Luna's face lit up and she pressed herself closer to the window._

_"You could have knocked me over with a feather when I saw them. I must admit that I don't know much about them; frankly, I thought they were a myth. But I knew you'd seen them before and would know what to do. So I brought the whole... thing... back here."_

_"You found these in the wild?"_

_"Well, sort of. Jinks found them and knew that they needed some protection if they were going to thrive. As far as I know, the only other Aquavirius' are the ones you saw at the Ministry."_

_Neville, standing behind her, was the one to ask the question she'd been waiting for._

_"Hermione, what is this place?"_

_"It's a place where flora and fauna can get protection. Where they can live in safety. Where a plant won't be destroyed just because it may pose a threat to the uninformed. Where a species can gain security and not be hidden away, risking extinction, as though it doesn't exist. It's a place where house-elves can come to live in freedom. A sanctuary for magical creatures, if you will. It's my new home - and, hopefully, yours too."_

For the last couple of years, Hermione had been working steadily to build her fortress. There had been ruffled feathers - as she suspected there would be. She'd worked hard in establishing and maintaining a relationship with the Ministry and the relevant departments within. Privacy was a hard thing to keep when trying to keep everyone happy, especially in the wake of a war, but she had managed a fragile balance. It was this fragile balance that she had in mind when a certain ex-Death Eater asked for permission to floo into her office one morning.

* * *

_Harry looked across at the withdrawn and downcast Draco Malfoy, sitting in the center of the room, and couldn't help but think of the proud and sneering boy he'd met back in his first year of Hogwarts. The contrast was so significant that he deliberately sought out the other man's eyes as he responded to the question._

_"Yes, I believe he has."_

_The look of surprise on Draco's face was evident as he met Harry's eyes._

_"He had several opportunities to betray not only me but other members of the Order. He didn't. I think the most notable thing should be Severus Snape's belief in him. Through his own memories, I know that he went above and beyond to make sure that Voldemort didn't see where his heart lay."_

_"You will make these specific memories available?"_

_Harry nodded. "To a few, yes."_

_As the session was suspended, people began stirring around him, most heading for the door. Harry, however, was completely still as the man in the center of the room was led away to the holding cells. Draco Malfoy looked over his shoulder, only once, as he reached the door. He paused before sending a short nod Harry's way._

* * *

_Harry forced himself to sit still as Malfoy's memory was played for the select few in the room. Living on the run, hunting down the horcruxes, was not the best way to live. Facing off against the wizard who had killed your parents, against the one whose very existence had defined yours, was not something he wanted to ever experience again. Nor something he wanted anyone else to experience. But watching select moments from Draco's memories of the previous years, especially after the downfall of the Malfoy name, Harry wasn't sure which one of them had been more traumatised._

_Harry's life would never be able to be measured on a standard scale. His trauma could be seen as a series of peaks and troughs, the baseline way below either, but he had periods of reprieve between; enough time for his soul to rest, his mind to justify the actions of everyone, including himself. Being the Malfoy heir would've undoubtedly had its downsides - there had to have been downsides - but life after Hogwarts began must have started a slow climb, resulting in a series of sharp peaks with no real troughs between. No rest._

_It was made abundantly clear to everyone just how much of a toll it had taken on Draco Malfoy, when he took a moment to glance at the portrait of himself that hung in the family hallway. The dated picture was just over a year old but as Malfoy made his way into a bathroom to wash off blood splatter, he stopped to look at his own reflection. The difference was remarkable, not so much in healthy growth, but in the obvious neglect and strain upon the young man. Gaunt, pale and, most obviously scared, Harry could see the strength it took for Malfoy to reel in the overwhelming emotions of the horror he'd just witnessed._

_It was the first time Harry really understood that_ everyone _walked away from war scarred._

* * *

Harry fell silent as he looked at both of them.

"Serves him right!"

Hermione glanced askance at her boyfriend before looking across at her best friend.

"I don't think you really understood what I saw." Harry chastised carefully.

"Bull! So, life wasn't perfect for the Death Eater! He chose that life - he got what was coming to him." Ron crossed his arms angrily, daring anyone to defend the man he saw as an enemy.

She placed a gentle hand on his arm as she searched for the right way to talk to him. "We all lost a lot in the war - no one is saying that _anyone_had it easy, but Harry was just trying to sh-"

Ron angrily pulled away from her. "He was just trying to show us how he stuck up for the git and got him a free pass! Death Eaters, Voldemort - they go hand-in-hand with the Malfoy name and not a single one made it to Azkaban! Tell me how that's fair?!"

"Nothing about this was fair! You've made mistakes Ron, don't forget that. Big mistakes. And we've always been there for you. It's called compassion. You can't blame Harry for showing some to somebody else."

Her heart thudded noisily in her chest and she unintentionally held her breath as she awaited the backlash. Her eyes darted over to Harry's but she didn't have time to notice his reaction as she looked back at Ron. His jaw was clenched tightly and he reddened slightly before looking over at Harry.

"Look, I know that you see something redemptive in them, that somehow they were good in the end. But Malfoy not ratting us out at the mansion was not out of bravery; it was cowardice. And Narcissa telling Voldemort you were dead was for her own selfish motives. I think that even at the end, they were Malfoys. Hell, the only reason Lucius walked away was because he knew it was a losing battle. There's nothing good in that entire family tree. I just, I- I don't think we're ever gonna see eye-to-eye on this."

Ron had grown; he was standing his ground on his own opinions but allowing them theirs. You could have knocked her over with a feather, but Hermione would still have been the first to admit that the war had changed them all - and in some good ways.


	2. Don't Come Easy

_Someone once said that certain names always awake certain prejudices. If that is so, can it never be changed, even with the greatest attempts? Or is merely chipping away a better practice than attacking with a sledgehammer? And whose responsibility is it?_

* * *

By the time Draco Malfoy stepped into Hermione's office, Neville and Luna were curiously watching him from their seated position on her lounge. Jinks stood proudly next to her. If he was surprised at the gathering, he didn't show it. He simply nodded a greeting at Neville and Luna and stepped toward Hermione. For a moment, Hermione felt her prejudices against the man wall up around her and it took an effort to remember that things had changed, that this was her opportunity to start afresh with the Malfoy heir.

She offered her hand to shake and demonstrably relaxed as he slipped his hand in hers and gently shook it.

"Mr Malfoy. To what do we owe this visit?"

It was, perhaps, the smallest of movements she had ever noticed about him - his wince. She guessed it was her proper civility that had him continue talking in an effort to cover any nuances she may have noticed in his expression.

"Miss Granger. Firstly, I have something to say to you. To all of you, actually, but particularly you. I'm sorry... And..." Draco opened and closed his mouth like a gaping fish as he tried to find the words he was looking for. She was tempted to help him, to put him out if his misery, but a part of her needed the apology and selfishly waited. "Just... Sorry..."

For a moment, his social mask slipped and she saw the genuine apology for all it was. She realised that his failure to find the words was not because they were new to him but because there were none sufficient enough to describe what he was feeling. The smallest of smiles graced her lips and she gave a nod of acceptance, immediately cutting the tension in the room by at least half.

From her side, Jinks spoke up. "Mistress, may I bring tea?"

Hermione smiled. "Thank you, Jinks, that would be lovely."

She saw the raised eyebrow as she turned and offered him the seat across her desk. "Jinks is free. All the house-elves here are free. They prefer to do the tasks they're accustomed to though, but I insist that it is on equal footing, as friends."

Draco nodded.

"I have to say, I was surprised to hear from you. For a number of reasons, but mostly because I know you've been working hard lately to change public opinion and associating with us will do nothing to improve that."

"I think you underestimate your influence and standing in the wizarding community."

Hermione grinned. "Perhaps. What can I do for you, Malfoy?"

With the change in intonation, Draco visibly relaxed and sat back in his chair. "Actually, I was hoping to be the one to offer. I know what other people say about this place - the rumours and speculation - and I also know that if you're the one at the helm, it's just the tip of the iceberg. Given my past... associations, I think I can help you quite a bit. More than that, and for purely selfish motives, I think it would be good to surround myself with people who are the epitome of 'goodness'. My one concern is that, if you accept, I might inadvertently tarnish the work you're doing here."

She was sure that the look on her face probably mirrored those on the faces of her friends across the room. Before she could give any sort of answer, Draco leant forward.

"I didn't come here to put you on the spot. I'm not expecting any sort of answer straight away. I also want you to know that despite your decision, I will still offer any information you need. Take as long as you need; I won't be going anywhere."

He got up to leave and Hermione silently stood, giving nothing more than a nod before he was through the fireplace. She adjusted the wards instinctively and sat down, looking across at an equally stunned Neville and Luna.

"Well, that was unexpected."

Neville nodded at the obvious understatement but Luna just tilted her head thoughtfully. Hermione leant against her desk.

"He might be what we need around here; someone to balance out the dynamics, play devil's advocate...

Luna shook her head and stood, slowly making her way toward the desk. "I think you're underestimating him – that man is not the boy from first year."

"I know tha-"

"But people can only change so much. Who can really tell where his allegiance lies?" Neville countered.

"Talking or using information is only half the problem; this house is our home and we are a family – are we ready to let someone else into that?"

Hermione's question had them stumped and Luna moved to sit on the lounge nearby.

"He doesn't _have_ to live here..."

She grinned. Luna seemed reluctant, but pensive and she knew it would be a carefully considered decision. Neville, on the other hand, seemed to be trying to avoid the former bully at all costs.

"No, he doesn't _have_ to live here. But neither did you. It was just more convenient and secure for you to do so. It makes sense to be as close as possible in case of any emergency and with the hours we work, the commute would be exhausting. We may be getting ahead of ourselves – he may not even _want_ to be in such close quarters with us on a constant basis. Malfoy offered us information with the hope of obtaining a job and it is entirely probable that he doesn't know what he's getting into."

They certainly hadn't. She had originally had a simple idea which she knew, without a doubt, was _way_ more complicated in practice but even Hermione had been surprised by the enormity of the project. Politically, it was all one big, jumbled mess and required the same level of patience one had to have to untangle Christmas lights – especially if each light bulb was a landmine of disasters waiting to happen. It required a different set of skills to the war and there had been a steep learning curve.

Surprisingly, it was Neville who acquiesced first. "I say we give him a shot. I'm not saying I trust him, but I think we have a lot more to gain than to lose."

Luna thoughtfully stared at Neville before looking back to Hermione with a single nod.

"I don't think Malfoy will be expecting us to have reached a decision so quickly."

"Perhaps not a positive one," Luna breathed, as she stood and exited the room.

Neville approached the desk. "We are going to keep an eye on him, right?"

Hermione nodded as she penned a response to Draco Malfoy before walking to the window and tying the note around the spotted owl napping peacefully on it. It roused as she tied the note securely before taking its usual snack from her and flying off in the direction she requested. Hermione turned to Neville soberly.

"He will be expecting things to be uncomfortable at first and that's good. This place comes first, before any of us, and we need to be positive before we add to the ranks. If this is a positive thing for us, with only good outcomes, then a little surety beforehand won't hurt anyone."

* * *

It had taken a week before Draco Malfoy next stepped through the fireplace and the only thing he'd brought with him was a small black briefcase. Hermione had frowned in confusion for more than one reason, especially after he had mentioned that it contained all of the information he believed she'd find pertinent. It had caused her to reconsider just how useful his information might be. That was, until he began pulling huge stacks of files from the seemingly bottomless briefcase, each one labelled meticulously. Hermione had simply raised an eyebrow.

"Word around the Ministry is that some witch used a similar spell to aid the famous Harry Potter whilst on the run. Obviously nobody knows the exact spell, and there's the possibility that it was just a rumour, but I did spend _hours_ trying to figure out a substitute and have found it quite invaluable."

Hermione smiled at his barely contained smirk before shifting through the files on her desk. She knew that Draco had been something of a quill-pusher at the Ministry, working for the Aurors and doing most of their legwork. She supposed that he _could_ have gathered most of the information there, but the extent of the files suggested he'd been collating them for longer. Or someone had.

"The files that feel warmer are the more recent ones; recent disturbances, sightings, etc, whilst the coldest ones have mostly mythology in them. I've seen enough in my lifetime to know not to disregard something just because there is no absolute proof, but I have worked on those ones the least so they may just be better for referencing. Of course, I have no idea how extensive your own work is."

Hermione opened the warmest one nearest her and skimmed notes on a recent 'dog attack' in Muggle Scotland. It was more extensive than any article would have been with several witness statements and notes to possible magic-related causes. She felt no need to mention that she had already investigated the event but she was surprised that he had picked up on it. There was a supernatural feel to it but the reality had been just a large wild dog that had decided to move in closer to the town because of a reduction in food supply due to local hunting.

Perhaps he could be a valuable asset to their team after all.

Draco handed Hermione a file that was a separate colour to the rest. She began leafing through the scraps of parchment.

"I collected most of this file during sixth year. There was a pretty big effort to find anything that could help Voldemort's cause and I overheard about a number of trips my father went on. I haven't been able to substantiate all of them, but the more detailed ones I'd say are the best bet."

Hermione looked up quizzically. "And you didn't hand these over to the Ministry?"

Draco shrugged. "The Aurors Department wanted people, nothing more, and my connections outside of it were rather limited. Once I started hearing rumours about this place, I began collecting them together."

She looked distractedly back at the files on her desk and ran a hand over the top, trying to feel for the warmest one. Draco plucked one out from toward the bottom.

"This was the one I'd labelled the most relevant, definitely one of the more pressing matters." Hermione skimmed his reports. "I know the Ministry is turning a mostly blind eye on this unless they come for help but I think that's got more to do with fear than reverence. The Ministry thinks that it could be a territorial thing but it looks nothing like it. It's simply-"

Neville raced into the room holding up a scrap of parchment. "I've got word on those Peonies I was telling you about!"

Hermione noticed Draco frown in confusion and couldn't help but suppress a smile. She must have given Neville a similar look when he had first mentioned tracking them. Neville handed her the parchment and sat down.

Draco looked between them. "Am I missing something?"

Hermione nodded to Neville and watched with amusement as he shifted forward on his seat, excited about the rarity he had stumbled upon.

"Peonies are extremely rare! Just ingesting them can help with things as simple as a stomach ache but once you add them to healing potions, it's believed you can cure just about anything! Can you think about how much further we could get with just a few petals? We might even be able to figure out a cure for some of the worst curses!"

Draco raised his eyebrows. "My mother has quite few growing in her garden if you really want them..."

Neville shook his head. "As with every good thing, there's a downside. Peonies can be powerful in the right hands but extremely dangerous in the wrong. Imagine adding something that powerful to some of the worst curses, giving them a boost and prolonging their effects, perhaps even making them permanent. For that reason, the legend says that a Japanese Emperor bred Peonies with a similar looking flower that was extremely common. All modern day peonies are said to have come from that. The Emperor supposedly hid the real Peonies and throughout the ages, it just became somewhat of a myth. There have been sightings, of course, but no hard proof. Rasputin was rumoured to have found one and that could account for his unusually strong magic and his ability to 'survive' death."

"And you've found a real one?"

Hermione waved the parchment. "Three, actually, just outside Tokyo. According to these reports, an herbalist found an unusual looking Peony and, after brewing it with tea and feeling the side effects, began to sell it. Neville has someone on the inside that says there are three plants currently in his possession but that the herbalist has offers to buy them and is considering it. I suppose that means we should move as soon as possible on this."

"My contact told me about a portkey nearby that we could use. I believe it's not strictly authorised..."

Hermione glanced sidelong at Draco. "Well, what the Ministry doesn't know..."

Draco smirked and Hermione felt a weight lift off of her. She had no way of knowing just how 'good' Draco was trying to be and the fact that he was willing to bend, if not break, the rules should have been a concern but the fact was, she'd had to resort to a lot of rule 'bending' to continue their work. Knowing that Draco Malfoy wasn't going to go running to the Ministry put her at ease. She handed the parchment back to Neville.

"Get ready. We'll leave in half an hour from the usual spot. Make sure you pack the charmed jars!"

Neville nodded and sprinted out of the room, obviously eager to get started. Hermione picked up the report she'd been previously holding.

"Dealing with the Centaurs is going to be tricky at best but if you think there's something of concern there, we can give a shot."

She noted his surprise. Trusting Draco Malfoy was not going to be easy but she had to start somewhere and his intel was as good a place as any. She stood from her desk.

"If we're going to meet Neville on time, we need to get you fitted out now. I presume that's what you're going to wear?"

Hermione was entirely sure she had stunned Draco into silence. He didn't seem to know what to respond to and she found it very difficult to keep a straight face. She bit her lip and tried to keep all amusement from her tone.

"Nevermind. I'm sure if things get too difficult, you can always borrow something from Neville."

Turning around she headed for the door. She could hear Draco rush to catch up with her as she hurried to the ornate stairs. Taking them quickly, she rushed to the next floor where she caught sight of Neville hurrying to the west wing.

The corridor was lit with magicked candles and the walls had been charmed to portray moving ocean scapes. Her pride was in the occasional scent of salty water that washed around them. The rooms had all been similarly transformed from the dreary, lonely tone they'd originally had and, as they reached the end of the corridor, Hermione pushed open a solid wooden door to expose a room that was clearly the length of the corridor they'd just walked. There were several tables around the room and a fireplace in the corner. Lining the walls were more books and several potions. Seamus Finnigan was leaning over a cauldron when Hermione entered and although Draco hadn't seemed surprised by Neville and Luna's presence, he seemed surprised to see Seamus.

"Have you managed to get it all together?"

His Irish lilt carried across the room as he smiled up at her. "Of course! You doubted?"

Hermione had deliberately sought out Neville and Luna but Seamus had stumbled upon his little role in their group. It had been mere months ago when Hermione had bumped into Seamus in a Muggle park as she tracked down information. After the polite post-war catch-up, Hermione had noticed Seamus watching a cat pawing around in the flower bed. The 'cat' turned out to be a transformed dog. Seamus had explained how he'd been working on the combination of several spells and had finally managed to test out his latest. The crux of what Seamus had been working on was easy for her to understand but the ability to come up with it in the first place was what led her to invite him to the Sanctuary. His quirky imagination and her thorough research skills had led to an increase in successful missions – as well as some much needed comic relief.

Hermione picked up the red leather book on the table in front of her. "Never! But Malfoy needs his gear now – at least, whatever you gave Neville for this trip."

"You want me to come?"

Hermione looked back at the confused man standing in the doorway.

"Well, you can stay here if you'd rather but I figure there's no better time to get you started." She handed him the book in her hands. "These are the spells we've found work best. There's undoubtedly some that you don't know and there's not enough time to go through them now but feel free to look over it in your own time."

Seamus pushed a bag toward her before tipping an imaginary hat and disappearing through the fireplace. Hermione began pulling things from the bag.

"This ring is a portkey." She held the silver band up between them, a generous emerald sitting on top. Hermione gently pushed the emerald sideways to reveal a gold section underneath. "As with all portkeys, touching the specified part will bring you to a specified location. In this case, it is the gold part here and it will bring you home – well, the meeting place. But it is always secured and monitored so it is safe."

She placed the ring in his hand and picked up a bottle of cologne. "This is a knock-out potion. It has come in handy once or twice but _please_ remember not to use it on yourself." She didn't need to justify her reasoning for the comment but she was sure Draco knew that it had happened to Neville.

Hermione opened a small black pouch and removed a single marble from it. "This is netting. Or, rather, combined it is. Simply throw these four marbles over something and when they separate, netting forms between them. I have placed three in strategic positions before and thrown the fourth to engage the netting but each situation will be different and you can hardly plan for these things."

When she reached for the jar of jam, Draco tilted his head and frowned as she held it between them. This isn't filled with jam – the jar itself can contain anything small in size. Seamus informs me that he managed to trap a Kneazle in here. I wouldn't attempt that but it should be perfect for these Peonies. From the outside it will remain a jam jar and once something is inside, it locks until spelled open."

The last thing in the backpack was a map. Hermione opened it up on the table and Draco scanned what was clearly Muggle London.

"What does the map do?"

Hermione frowned. "It shows you London."

"That's it?"

Hermione folded the map up quickly and shoved it into the backpack before handing it over to him. "I have a _small_ issue of apparating to London if I'm on the run and more than once I've lost Neville or Luna there. I've charmed the maps to show where we all are and if you tap it with your wand, it should light up. Of course, we're not there now so it's useless but it will probably come in handy eventually."

Hermione crossed the room quickly to pick up a similar looking bag before leading them back out into the corridor.

"There is no way to apparate into or off the grounds here. I actually used Hogwarts as a model though it is _miles_ out of my league to create something like that. Simply, there is a single spot in the very back corner where you can apparate. The wards here are also protected against most floo use as well as any attacks. I can't shield this place from every possible spell and I'm sure that if someone wanted to, they'd probably find a way in, but it would take them a while. Certainly enough time to let us know what was going on."

They stepped outside and Hermione zipped up her jacket against the cold. "The low brick wall that you can see in the distance actually helps with invisibility and any time anyone or anything breaches the perimeter, an alarm goes off in the kitchen. Seamus modelled it off security cameras and the large pan hanging on the wall in the kitchen acts as a way to see the breach without having to go outside."

Hermione wound her way through the new hedges Neville had put it and stepped across the small bridge that led to the other side of the grounds. The small brook trickled nearby, leaving a soft, melodic tune in its wake. In the distance, Hermione could see Neville in the fading light, standing underneath the Weeping Willow in the corner of the property. A nervousness settled in her stomach and she resolved to not let it show as they approached. Neville eyed Draco warily.

"This should be fairly straightforward but you never can tell when Muggles are involved, especially considering that they already possess something magical."

Hermione nodded. "There are obviously only a handful of people able to access this property but I have altered the wards to allow you access should we get separated and you need to return on your own."

Draco Malfoy made no real acknowledgement of the enormity of what she had said but she was sure he understood. It was a test, of sorts, a trust that he wouldn't betray them. They could, of course, go through the motions and give him access and knowledge over time as trust was built but when she looked in his eyes, she still remembered the frightened boy in way over his head. It may have been an emotional response based on nothing more than others' fleeting memories but she had relied on her gut and it had gotten her to where she was with few regrets.

Draco shifted the backpack around his robes and Neville held out both arms. Hermione had merely a moment to notice the excitement in Malfoy's eyes before the familiar tug pulled all three of them away.


	3. The Elephant In The Room

**AN/** Thank you everyone for reading and reviewing this! I can't tell you how awesome it is that so many people have liked this idea! I was very unsure, especially knowing how many amazing authors are in the fandom, and considering how very, very small my own niche in the fanfic world is. Please, do give me your feedback - I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

* * *

_As Caesar was at supper the discourse was of death – which sort was the best, 'That,' said he, 'which is unexpected.'_

* * *

Finding the portkey turned out to be simpler than they'd thought. The old and cracked garden gnome was exactly where it was supposed to be and within moments they were in Japan. A young Japanese man was waiting nearby, a smile on his face as he approached them.

"Neville! So good to see you!"

"Akira kun! Arigatō!"

While they immediately began talking about their friendship in broken Japanese and English, Hermione turned to the fidgeting Malfoy.

"I see why you have ditched your robes for Muggle clothing..."

Hermione shrugged. "I find this more comfortable anyway but there's less material getting snagged on things, caught in traps and, yes, making carrying things more comfortable. There is an enchantment on the bag so you can fit quite a bit in there, including robes."

Draco pulled the robes off revealing a white dress shirt, green tie and black pants. In the middle of a Japanese dirt road surrounded by towering trees and carrying a black backpack, Draco looked... completely out of context. But she supposed he was somewhat more comfortable. A town was barely visible in the distance and the four of them walked their way there while Akira updated them.

"In morning we will set out to visit store. Get layout. Tonight we rest. You will be safe with my family and I."

Hermione took a few quicker steps to keep stride. "Has there been any movement on the plants?"

Akira shook his head. "No, we keep close watch on them. But lots of interest."

"Ah. I was hoping there wouldn't be but I expected as much. Neville, do you think you will need much time to authenticate them?"

"Shouldn't do - I think I've managed to create a spell to test the effects but I won't know for sure until we see them. What are you thinking?"

"Let's check this out tomorrow and, if we indeed are dealing with the genuine articles, we can go back tomorrow night."

The gravel crunched beneath their feet, sounding exceptionally loud in the quiet night, and as the town neared, Hermione noticed the obvious signs of a wizarding community. An owl flew to a home just up ahead and she saw a few heads peeking out from behind curtains.

"Why are the people here so afraid?"

Akira paused mid-stride and slowly turned around, his eyes darting briefly. "Your country was not only one affected by war. There were... supporters here. Some still think war has not ended."

There was a distrustful glare from one witch before she pulled closed the drapes. They walked slowly down the street, a deafening silence filling the space between their thoughts and Hermione noticed Draco's change in posture. He had drawn in his shoulders and was only occasionally looking up at their surroundings. The change from the secure man just a few kilometres down the road was drastic and she frowned. Time to dwell on it, however, was not afforded to her as they drew near to Akira's residence. Despite the lights being on, there was no one home and he showed them to a room at the back of the house with camping cots already set up. Draco placed his bag on the cot in the corner and excused himself from the room.

"What's with him?"

Hermione shrugged at Neville and dropped her bag on a cot. "I don't know. But I'm utterly exhausted and we're only going to get a couple of hours before we head out. We should turn in if we want to be on our toes tomorrow."

Neville pointed out the door. "Do you want me to tell Malfoy?"

She bit her lip in contemplation. "No, it's okay. I'll go find him. You just get some sleep."

Stepping into the hallway, Hermione retraced her steps back to the main room and found Akira replacing a book on one of the shelves lining the room.

"Have you seen Malfoy?"

Akira pointed to a doorway she hadn't noticed in the corner and she smiled politely before stepping through it. It seemed to lead to a garden of sorts, pools of moonlight lighting up parts of the garden in a spectacular fashion. Draco was standing at the far end and she'd taken a step outside when a door slammed somewhere behind her. She spun quickly and saw nothing but a still night surrounding her.

When she turned around, Hermione noticed Draco's attentions were elsewhere. Seemingly oblivious to what was going on around him, he stood still staring up at the sky. Her first thought was that it was completely against his character to be doing such a thing. In her second, she berated herself for reducing him to the bully she had known in their earlier years. She closed the gap between them slowly and saw him stiffen as he noticed her approach.

"The stars are pretty clear out here, huh?"

Draco took a deep breath and nodded. "Sometimes I forget how brilliant they can be."

She gave a half laugh. "Especially when they're not obscured by an evil omen."

Hermione almost clamped a hand over her mouth but Draco visibly bristled and took a step away from her. A momentary lapse in judgment seemed to have created a rift between them and he was frowning as he turned squarely toward her.

"I am not the sum of my mistakes!"

"I didn't mea- "

"What? To say what you've all been thinking?"

Her anger built quickly. "In case you haven't noticed, we've been pretty accommodating so far!"

"And I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop! Just what is your angle?"

"What's yours?"

"To pro- " He turned away in anger and she noticed him clenching and unclenching his fists. It was more effort than she thought it ought to be but she reeled in her own anger and followed him.

"What's your problem, Malfoy? I don't know you very well but I do know that if you want me to trust you, you're going about this the wrong way!"

Draco turned his face away from her and she sighed. "Look, I'm sorry about what I said but it wasn't an attack on you or your mistakes. It just... slipped out."

It was as though he deflated in front of her and when he turned to her in the moonlight, a shadow fell across one side of his face and he looked contrite. His blue eyes seemed to pin her where she was.

"I've seen a lot of devastation, a lot of people scared and afraid of the people I was with; the person I was. I just... I thought I was past that."

Hermione chose not to respond. There was nothing to say that she knew would ease his guilt and she had a feeling that drawing attention to his confession might make him clam up. He seemed not to mind her silence and turned to look back at the stars. She watched him for only a moment longer before following his lead and looking up.

* * *

She didn't remember her dream but Hermione woke up feeling frustrated as though she had been trying and failing to catch something. The feeling stayed with her all morning and when Neville noted her distraction, she brushed off his concerns. Trying to collect her thoughts, Hermione looked at the curios in the surrounding shops as Neville scouted out the Peonies. Draco trailed silently behind her. They'd not spoken since the night before but instead of uncomfortable silence, it was mutual distraction. A bookstore caught her eye and she had to forcefully push aside her curiosity in order to keep an eye on Neville.

Neville stepped out of the tea shop and took off the jacket he had been wearing, the sign for a positive identification. Catching Draco's attention, she nodded and they turned around together and headed back to their 'base'. The walk to their apparition point was not long but they did have to wait a few moments for passing muggles to turn the corner. They appeared in the garden that they had stood in only hours before and Hermione sat down on a nearby concrete bench. The wait for Neville was short.

"The Peonies are there. There are three but they've seen better days. I tried to put in a bid for them and the man refused and said that he'd already agreed to sell them to someone else. I offered twice what he was getting but he still refused. We might have to go back tonight."

Hermione stood. "Okay, if you can give us the general layout, we can probably be in and out before anyone notices. Were there any signs of magic?"

"None that I could see - as far as I can tell, they're muggles, plainly and simply, with no idea of what they have."

Neville led them into their quarters and Hermione fought the urge to get her wand. She noticed Draco's was already drawn and when she looked at Neville, his eyes grew as big as saucers as he looked at something over her shoulder. Hermione spun quickly, wand at the ready. Akira held his wand trained on them but his movements seemed slightly off and Hermione found herself searching his face for any inner conflict.

"What are you doing?"

Akira said nothing. His hands began to move and she disarmed him immediately, sending his wand across the room. His whole body turned to follow the movement of the wand before turning back to face them.

Hermione stunned him.

"Was that what I think it was?"

Draco stepped toward the fallen man. "An Imperious."

Neville was crestfallen. "But... what? Why?"

Hermione felt sorry for him. Whilst she had no real connection to Akira, Neville had had many dealings with the man and considered him a friend.

"His family wasn't here." She said finally. "There was something wrong and I just couldn't figure out what it was. But it was his family; all the lights were on but no one was home."

"But who would do something like this? I mean why Akira?"

"You said so yourself," Draco said, as he turned toward him, "Imagine what someone could do with these Peonies. We're obviously not the only ones who know about their discovery and if this is anything to go by, they want to make sure they're the ones to get them."

"We must be careful. Malfoy's right – we don't know what they're willing to do or who we can trust."

Hermione looked around the room for something they may have missed, a clue to how things went downhill so fast but everything looked in place; at least, as far as she could tell in a stranger's house. Draco placed a hand on her elbow.

"We need to move, Granger. Whoever did this won't be far behind."

She nodded and directed a reluctant Neville to the garden once more. Hermione nodded to Draco and within a moment they were standing at the side of the road where they had first apparated to. Her initial thought was to provide Neville with solace but Neville was looking determinedly at her.

"They'll know we're on to them. We need to move now before they do." Hermione nodded her agreement and Neville knelt on the ground, using a nearby stick to draw a crude map of the teashop.

The layout being simple will be both good and bad. At night time we would have had less chance of being caught but during the day it really will be a snatch and grab. I may have to go in alone."

"Neville-"

"Too many of us will just draw further attention and if I can get right in next to the Peonies, we may just be able to pull this off without anyone knowing."

Draco took the stick off him and elaborated on the map, drawing in the surrounding streets and shops. "You'll need a distraction. If we can draw a good deal of the muggles out into the street, or at least have them looking that way, you can time it right. Where are they in relation to the shop front?"

"There's a small room at the back of the shop, probably for inventory, and there's no windows or doors, excepting the entrance."

"Okay, well he's probably on high alert this close to a sale so whatever we do needs to be big enough to draw attention but not enough to scare him."

Hermione looked at the drawings and tried to shake off the feeling that this was all going to go horribly wrong. There was no real way for them to prepare for what _could_ happen.

"What if we set off some fireworks?"

Both men looked at her but Draco shook his head. "Initially, it may cause panic. He might run and grab the plants before we can get to them."

"But when he notices that it's just fireworks, he may go outside to watch them."

"What if he doesn't?" Neville countered. Hermione frowned in thought.

"What if we set loose an elephant?"

Hermione and Neville looked at him as though he had grown two heads but he held up a hand.

"Hear me out. I know it sounds ridiculous but that's exactly what we need. Something that is so far from the norm that it will have people out in the streets but not have everyone panic."

"And where do you propose we get an _elephant_ from?"

"What if the elephant panics?"

Draco stood and took a few steps before swivelling around. "We'll get one from the zoo. I noticed there was one not too far from here and we can keep an elephant calm with magic. I've actually been to the zoo before so that should be the easy part."

Hermione stood. "You've been here before?"

"Not to this part specifically, no, but nearby."

Neville looked up at them. "You know, this could actually work, Hermione. In terms of limiting our magical use and having the muggles pass this off, this could work."

Hermione almost spluttered. "Do you hear yourselves? You're talking about an _elephant_! Those massive grey animals that can kill you in a heartbeat! You may as well set a lion loose in the streets!"

"Now _that _would cause panic..."

Hermione glared at Draco and looked at their map. Setting a wild animal up as a distraction did not sit well and she could just imagine the newspapers the following day about a 'magical' escape from the zoo that resulted in the deaths of several people as it reappeared in a nearby town and caused a stampede. Things could definitely go very wrong. But she was out of other ideas that could work. She sighed and turned back around.

"Okay, but if something goes wrong, we abort. Draco and I will go and snag the elephant while you get yourself ready to grab the Peonies. This is all gonna happen at once, and we need to make sure those Peonies are safe, so as soon as you get them, go! We'll meet you back at the Sanctuary."

Hermione spent a couple of minutes making sure she wasn't forgetting anything before Neville disappeared and Draco held out his arm. Still unsure about the success of the mission, Hermione held on and closed her eyes.

* * *

It turned out that stealing an elephant from the zoo was less difficult than she thought, especially when one employed magical methods to aid in its escape. The animal in question was older, wearier and seemed only mildly surprised to be suddenly in a completely different area to one it had known most of its life. Draco said something to the elephant in a soothing tone of voice and with a small wave of his wand, the elephant calmed and began a slow walk out of the alley they had apparated to.

Despite the slow gait of the animal, there were still a few screams when it first began its walk down the street. Draco and Hermione watched its progress from the shadows and Hermione found herself desperately wishing for more people to come outside to see the 'show'. She couldn't see Neville, nor could she identify the teashop owner, but several older men stepped out from the teashop to watch as some of the braver children dared to come close enough to the elephant to pat it.

A pair of officers stepped into the street brandishing tranquiliser guns and that is when all hell broke loose. As soon as the first dart hit its hide, the elephant was startled out of whatever spell Draco had placed on it. It reared up and Hermione used her wand to push the children out from under its falling feet. Almost immediately the wall behind them exploded sending debris everywhere and screams filling the air. She and Draco both ducked automatically and she felt Draco's hand on her back as he pushed her out into the street and away from the crumbling wall.

The street itself was beginning to look like a war zone. People were running everywhere, desperate for some kind of shelter and a short distance down she saw the elephant succumb to the tranquilisers and lie on the ground. As her eyes scoured the area, she noticed three men distinctly out of place. On his command, one of the men ran down toward the teashop whilst the other stepped forward to engage them in battle. Disbelief coursed through her at the recklessness of such actions in view of so many muggles. Grabbing Draco's arm, she pushed him up the street and into the bookstore she had noticed earlier. It appeared to be a second hand bookstore and the frightened owner was peering up from behind the counter.

"Go!" she yelled.

He needed no further prompting, racing out what she presumed was the back door.

"Let's get out of here!"

Draco had just touched her elbow when a blast sent them both backwards amidst falling pages. Smoke filled the air and Hermione noticed a shelf in flames, the books slowly being engulfed by the fire as it ate through them one by one. Two figures stepped into the shop and Hermione saw the older one nod for the other to circle around them. From somewhere beside her, in the rubble of concrete and paper, Draco flung a spell across the room, halting the other man's progress and starting a barrage of his own that gave them both enough time to find cover.

Draco sent another spell out over the counter he was using as cover and Hermione shot one out simultaneously, counting on the fact that the wizard was distracted enough by Draco to not notice her. As the spell hit, he fell stunned and Draco sent Hermione a nod of thanks. Hermione tried to disarm the wizard with his back to the front door when he aimed his wand straight at her.

"Crucio!"

As the curse flew across the room, everything began moving in slow motion; as though her eyes were watching the scene before her but her brain was struggling to keep up with all the information. Before she had time to understand, he was soundlessly yelling at her, slowly running, as she turned her head around to see a raised wand aiming at her. A force crashed into her, sending her to the ground and although debris fell all around, none penetrated the warm body surrounding her.

In a second it was over, the warmth gone and time restored as Draco cast again. She couldn't see what happened to the wizard who had come in through the back door. It required moving from the crouch she'd been forced into and Hermione was afraid of what would happen if her heart was forced to beat any faster. But Draco remained. It seemed as though an eerie silence fell over the world and Hermione lifted her head and looked around. Draco was standing beside her, his wand tracing over the area as he looked for anybody that had hidden. When he turned back around to her, he frowned upon locking eyes with her.

"What the hell was that? You could have gotten yourself killed, Granger!"

He started to rant, kicking some books aside so he could retrieve her bag, but she tuned him out. He was angry, and at one time that might have given rise to her ire, but all she could think about was how he had saved her life. She had frozen, unable to think of a single spell, unable to defend herself, and Draco Malfoy had come to the rescue. The fact that she couldn't find a single thread of hatred toward him gave him a reprieve. For now.

If he was, as she suspected, turning into her friend, he would receive the same treatment as the rest of her friends. In that moment, while she contemplated their friendship, she was just glad to be alive. And she owed it all to Malfoy.


End file.
